Engine starter



'R P. LANSING Jan. 2, 1934.

ENGINE STARTER Find Feb. 20, 1932 llllllll llillllll Patented Jan. 2, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ENGINE STARTER tion of New Jersey Application February 20,

17 Claims.

This invention relates to starters for engines such as internal combustion engines, and more particularly to mechanism for controlling the engine-engaging operation of such starters.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide, in an engine starter of the type which is disconnected from the engine during normal operation of the latter, novel means for establishing driving connection between the starter and enginean action referred to in the art as meshing.

A further object is to provide a new and eilicient starter meshing device and control therefor which will permit the use of a lighter and more compact structure.

A still further object is to provide novel means whereby a starter may be smoothly engaged with the engine during the initial revolution of the starting motor.

The above and lfurther objects and novel features of this invention will more fully appear from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing.

By way of example, the invention is shown in the accompanying drawing as embodied in a motor driven starter having a reduction gear train and a jaw clutch for drivably connecting the starter to the engine. This embodiment is now regarded as preferred since it closely resembles the type of structure commonly used in inertia type starters, from which it may be readily seen that the present invention is applicable to inertia as well as to direct electric starters.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is an axial view, partly in section, of a starter embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a section taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

An internal combustion engine starter embodying the present invention isshown in Fig. 1 as comprising a housing having an inner portion 5 adapted to be rigidly secured to the crankcase 6 of an internal combustion engine, and having an outer portion 'I secured, by any suitable means such as bolts, to the portion 5. l

Power means may be provided for actuating the starter mechanism, and as herein illustrated, such means consists of an electric motor 8 securely attached as by bolts to the outer face'of housing member 7. The drive shaft 9 of the motor extends inwardly into the housing and is rotatably supported by a ball bearing 10 which is in turn supported in the housing member 7. The outer -race of bearingv 10 is held against movement with respect to housing member 7 by 1932. Serial No. 594,358

(Cl. 'Ib-7) a shoulder formed on said member, and a ring 11 secured to said member by suitable screws. A flanged ring 12 mounted on the shaft 9 holds the inner race of bearing 10 in firm engagement with a shoulder on said shaft and prevents its movement relative thereto.

It is desirable to provide some form of yielding connection between the starter motor and the engine to be started in order that no injury will result to the starting mechanism in the event of a backre of the engine, or in the event of any excessive resistance being oifered by the engine parts at the instant of engagement between the starter and the engine. Such yielding connection may assume any of several mechanical forms and be interposed at any desired stage of the power transmission train. In the form herein illustrated, a multiple disc friction clutch is employed in the first stage in the train of power transmission from the starting motor to the engine.

This clutch mechanism, as shown, is supported by the outer end of shaft 9 and comprises a plurality of plates 13 in interleaving and frictional engagement one with the other. Some of the plates are designed for splined engagement at their inner edges with the outer periphery of a member 14 which is mounted for axial movement on shaft 9 and is drivably connected thereto. Alternating with the plates that are splined to member 14, the remaining plates are splined to the inner surface of a barrel 15 rotatably mounted on a reduced portion 16 of shaft 9, and maintained thereon by means of a nut 17 threadedly received by the outer end of said shaft. 'Ihe member 14 is provided with a flanged portion 18 that bears against an annular pressure plate 19 which operatively engages the outer disc or plate 13. A coil spring 20 surrounds shaft 9 and is suitably interposed between flanged ring 12 and member 14 for maintaining plates 13 in such frictional relationship as to maintain a driving connection therebetween up to a predetermined load value.

The hub of barrel 15 extends outwardly from the closed end of said barrel to constitute a pinion 21 which is in constant mesh with a gear 22 integral with a shaft 23 extending from either side of said gear and rotatably mounted in suitable bearings formed in the housing members 5 and '7. Adjacent the gear 22, and concentric therewith, is a pinion 24 that may also be formed integral with shaft 23. The pinion 24 meshes with a toothed member 25 having an elongated hollow hub 26 which is rotatably mounted, as by -means of ball bearings 27 and 28, within the inner housing member 5, one of said bearings being maintained in proper position by spacing sleeve 29 and plate 30, the latter being screwed to housing member 5. A suitably placed shoulder on said housing member, and nut 31 threadedly received by the outer portion of hub 26, hold the other bearing 27 in place.

The central portion of hub 26 is interiorly threaded with a long pitched thread adapted to receive an exteriorly threaded core 32.' A reduced endportion of the starter jaw or driving member 33, which is adapted to mesh with but is normally out of engagement with a comple-l mental jaw 34 formed on the crankshaft, or extension thereof, of the engine to be started, is telescopically received by the outer end of hub 26, at which end the diameter of the bore of said hub is slightly increased. A reduced portion of core 32 projects into a recess formed in the reduced portion of starter jaw v33 and is drivably connected thereto by splines or other suitable means which will permit relative longitudinal movement therebetween. Starter jaw 33 and threaded core 32 are normally held against relative longitudinal movement by bolt 35 extending through the central portion thereof and a coil spring 36 which is interposed between the starter jaw 33 and core 32 and surrounds the bolt 35. Preferably said core is provided with a recess into which a portion of spring 36 extends.

Means for limiting the movement of this meshing unit in either direction may be provided and, as shown here, the extreme inward position is reached when the inner portion of starter jaw 33 contacts the shoulder which is formed by the increased bore at the outer end of hub 26. The extreme outward position is reached when the retainer nut 37 moves into engagement with the threaded portion of hub 26.

Novel means are provided for magnetically braking the rotation of the meshing unit and thus causing the screw threads of hub 26 and core 32 to coact and move the jaw 33 into engagement with the engine. In the illustrative embodiment of such means shown in Figs. 1 and 2, there is positioned about the periphery of the starter jaw 33, wholly within the housing member 5, one or a plurality of brakev shoes 38 of nonmagnetic material, with a curvature corresponding to that of the periphery of member 33, and with a shank portion 45 extending into a spool 40 constituting part of an electromagnet having a winding 39 suitable for conducting an electric current, and a magnetizable core 46 which has a sliding fit in the spool 40 and a counterbore to receive the threaded upper end of the brake shoe shank 45. The outer end of core 46 projects beyond the upper end of the spool 40, and has a head portion 47 which is engaged by suitable resilient means, such as the ilat spring 48 serving to hold the brake shoe 38 normally out of contact with the member 33.

In operation, the hub 26 is driven by an electric motor or inertia flywheel through suitable gearing such, for example, as is shown in Fig. 1, and the meshing unit, constituted chiefly by core 32 and the starter jaw 33, is rotated by virtue of friction existing between said hub and core.

Upon closing the switch, which may be closed simultaneously with the closing of the motor switch in the case of a direct electric starter, or which may be closed at the will of the operator when suicient energy has been stored in the ily- Wheel of an inertia starter, the coil 39 is -enersuitable linkage by the operator.

gized; the magnetizable plunger 46 is attracted inwardly against the action of spring 148, resulting in frictional engagement of shoe 38 with the periphery of the starter jaw 33, retarding its rotation and creating a relative rotational movement between the hub 26 and the core 32, which is splined to the starter jaw 33. By reason of this relative rotation, the threads on core 32 coact with those of hub 26 to move the meshing device to the left as viewed in Fig. 3, and effect engagement between the starter jaw 3 3 and the engine clutch member 34 wherebyl the engine is cranked. As soon as such engagement is effected, i

the switch is again opened, the coil 39 de-energized, and the shoe member is withdrawn to its normal position by the spring 48. When the engine starts, the resulting acceleration o1 the engine jaw 34 causes the inclined faces thereof to exert acam action on the corresponding faces of jaw 33, thereby moving the latter back to the normal position indicated in Fig. 1, spring 36 imparting a similar movement to the core 32.

Manual means may be provided for moving the pole piece 46 into frictional engagement with the starter jaw 33, and such means, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, may consist of a lever 49 having its one end engaging head portion 47 of the plunger 46, and pivoted near its center on a bracket 50 which may be rigidly attached to or integral with the housing member 5. The other end of arm 49 is pivotally connected to an operating rod 51 which may be operated either directly or through It is readily seen that on an upward movement of the operating rod 5l, theI arm 49 will be effective to force the plunger inwardly against the tension of spring 48 and thus move shoe 45 into frictional engagement with the starter jaw 33.

There is thus provided a novel combination of elements comprising a starter meshing device and means for eiciently controlling the meshing operation thereof. By employing electrical means for effecting the meshing operation, which means cooperate directly with the meshing device, a more compact and lighter starter unit is obtained, since it becomes possible to suitably enclose all parts within the starter housing. A novel structure has been provided whereby a smooth engagement between the starter and the engine crankshaft is effected while the speed of rotation of the starter parts is still relatively slow, thus eliminating the problems which accompany the meshing of parts at relatively high speed. 'I'his construction may, as it has been pointed out, be used with equal efficiency in either electric or inertia type starters.

Various other changes may be made in the relative sizes, shapes and arrangement of the various component parts of the invention without departing from the spirit thereof as will now be apparent to those skilled in the art. Reference will therefore be had to the. appended claims for a definition of the limits of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In an engine starter ofthe type embodying a driven member adapted to engage the crankshaft of an engine and means for rotating said member, the combination with said driven member of means cooperating therewith for causing said driven member to move into engagement with said crankshaft, said means including a brake adapted to frictionally engage said driven member, electro-magnetic means for effecting the vfrictional engagement between nid drivenmember and said brake and resilient means\constantly tending to prevent such frictional engagement.

2. In an engine starter of `the type embodying a driven member adapted to engage the crankshaft of an engine, and means for rotating said driven member, the combination with said driven member of means including an electro-magnet for retarding the rotation of said driven member, cooperating screw threads for moving said driven member into engagement with said crankshaft, and resilient means opposing the retarding action of said electro-magnet.

3. In an engine starter of -the type embodying a driven member adapted to engage the crankshaft of an engine, and means for rotating said driven member, the combination with said driven member of means enclosed within the starter casing for effecting the engagement of said driven member and said crankshaft, said means including a magnet adapted to retard the rotation of said driven member, cooperating screw threads for moving said driven member into engagement with said crankshaft, and resilient means opposing the retarding action of said electro-magnet.

4. In an engine starter, a meshing unit adapted to be moved into engagement with a member ofthe engine to be started, driving means for rotating said meshing unit, power transmitting means interposed between said meshing unit and said driving means, frictional means adapted to cooperate with said ydriving means in moving said meshing unit into engagement with said engine member, and resilient means constantly opposing said frictional means.

5. In apparatus of the class described, a meshing unit, an electric starting motor adapted for rotatably driving said meshing unit, frictional means cooperating with said meshing unit while the latter is moving into driving engagement with a member of an engine to be started, electro-magnetic means adapted to control said frictional means, said electro-magnetic means being operable simultaneously with said starting motor, and means responsive to de-energization of said electro-magnetic means to withdraw said frictional means.

6. In apparatus of the class described, a meshing unit, an electric starting motor adapted for rotatably driving said meshing unit, frictional means cooperating with said meshing unit while the latter is moving into driving engagement with a member of an engine to be started, resilient means normally holding said frictional means out of engagement with said meshing unit, and manually operable means for engaging said frictional means.

'1. In apparatus of the class described, a meshing device, a driving member therefor, coacting screw threads on said meshing device and said driving member, magnetic and manually operable braking means cooperating with said screw threads in moving said meshing device into driving engagement with a member of an engine to be started,- and resilient means constantly opposing said magnetic manually operable means.

8. In apparatus of the class described, a meshing device adapted to drivably engage the crankshaft of an engine, means for rotating said device, frictional means for retarding the rotation of said device, screw threads on said device adapted to cooperate with said frictional means in moving said device into engagement with said crankshaft, said frictional means comprising a friction member adapted to be moved into the said device into engagement with said engine member, lsaid frictional means comprising a vfriction member adapted to be moved into frictional engagement with said device, electromagnetic means for moving said friction member into engagement with said device, resilient means adapted to hold said friction member normally out of engagement with .said device, and

manual means for moving said frictional mem ber into engagement with said device.

10. In apparatus of the class described, a meshing device including two members drivably connected the one to the other, one of said members having screw threads adapted to coact with screw threads on a starter driven member, the

other of said members being adapted to drivably engage a member on the crankshaft of an engine to be started, means for' driving said meshing device, magnetic and manually operable braking means for retarding the rotation of said meshing device, said braking means and screw threads being adapted to cooperate to move said meshing device into engagement with said crankshaft, and resilient means constantly opposing said magnetic manually operable means.

11. In apparatus ofthe class described,A the' combination with a meshing device, adapted to be moved by means of coacting screw threads into driving engagement with a memberof an engine to be started, of magnetic braking means adapted to retard the rotation of said meshing device, said braking means including an electromagnet adapted to retard the rotation of said meshing device, and means constantly opposing the retarding eilect of said electro-magnet.

12. In apparatus oi the class described, the combination with a meshing device, adapted to be moved by means ofpcoacting screw threads into driving engagement with a member of an engine to be started, of frictional braking means adapted to retard the rotation of said meshing device, said braking means including a vsolenoid adapted to frictionally engage said meshing dem member, frictional means for retarding the rotation of said driven member, means cooperating with said frictional means for moving said driven member into engagement with said engine member, magnetic and manually operable means for controlling said frictional means, and resilient means constantly opposing said magnetic manually operable means.

14. In apparatus of the class described, a driven member adapted to drivably engage an engine member, means for rotating said driven member, frictional means forretarding the rotation of said driven member, means cooperating cooperating with said magnet for moving said with said i'rictional means for moving said driven meshing device into engagement with said engine member into engagement with said engine memmember during vsaid braking action, and means ber, and resilient means constantly opposing said constantly vopposing said braking action. 5 frictional means. 17. In an engine starter, the combination with 80 15. In an engine starter, the combination with a meshing unit o1' frictional means cooperating a meshing device of a solenoid adapted to iricwith said meshing unit in moving the latter into tionally engage said meshing device, and means engagement with an engine member, said means constantly tending to prevent such trictional including a friction element adapted to friction- 10, engagement. ally engage a portion of the meshing unit', re- 85 16. In an engine starter, the combination with silient means for moving said friction element a meshing device oi' a magnet adjacent said in one direction, and electric means'for moving meshing device, said magnet being adapted to said element in the other direction.

w brake the rotation of said meshing device, means v v i l RAYMOND P. LANSING. 90

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